Kane County

Downers Grove Village Council approves updated pedestrian and bike plans

Published: Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013 3:16 p.m. CST

By SUBURBAN LIFE MEDIA

DOWNERS GROVE – The Downers Grove Village Council approved updates to the bicycle and pedestrian plans last week that aim to make the village more friendly for those traveling by bike or foot.

The updates were prepared by consultant Sam Schwartz Engineering and were first presented at the May 21 council meeting. The report was the culmination of surveys, studies, public outreach and other efforts by the village.

The plan provides a guide for future project and policy planning for the council, and also includes specific recommendations.

The study found that residents find Downers Grove walkable, in general, but that rail crossings and major traffic intersections do pose difficulties, among other issues.

The study also found that the rate of injuries from bicycle crashes per Downers Grove resident is 1.5 times the national average.

Short-term recommendations included creating a bicycle and pedestrian task force, completing the network of signed routes, increasing bicycle parking in the downtown, instituting a bicycle rack request system and creating a plan to beautify pedestrian spaces and corridors in the downtown, among others.

Medium-term recommendations include identifying funding and locations for expanded bicycle parking at the commuter stations, completing the sidewalk network for at least one side of the street, and installing count-down indicators on existing high priority traffic signals.

The plans have two long-term recommendations: to coordinate with DuPage County regarding a connection to a 75th Street sidepath, and evaluate the feasibility of a pedestrian crossing at Lee Street and the railroad downtown.